Unlikely Love
by melody unwinding
Summary: Her only family living by a thread, and she's left no choice but to bunk with her neighbor. Torn between anguish and fascination, she discovers that she wasn't only loved by one. AU.
1. The Comfort of a Stranger

**Unlikely Love  
**_**The Comfort of a Stranger**_

Waking up, going to school, coming home from school, going to bed. It was a routine that she had let herself fall into, her life never straying from its destined course. Little excitement filled her life, even though she prayed for something that would shock her out of her socks.

Kagome Higurashi, only seventeen years of age, about 63 years younger than her beloved grandfather—the only family she had left. She was much like any ordinary girl you saw on the streets, but first glance never let you inside her world. Her amazing cerulean eyes were the key to the extravagant and alluring world that she kept locked inside. Her eyes were a portal into her world, vying for a chance at really living life. She dreamed of far away places, dangerous adventures, and a chance at true love being found in the most unlikely places.

Never had she tried to separate herself from the crowd, to take on a look that would be all her own. The world she had created was a keepsake that only those who weren't so judgmental and who didn't lack in the area of individualism. But those were so hard to find at this age in time, where you were based on how you looked. And with that, Kagome knew that her dream world wasn't meant to be seen by anyone but herself.

**- -**

It was dark, after seven on a Thursday night. Usually she would be home a little after school was out, but she had an unfortunate encounter with her oh-so-admirable neighbor—Inuyasha Seoki. A little misunderstanding—or more like a fight—had jolted right in front of the principal's eyes and a detention was awarded to both of them. She hadn't been able to get a hold of her grandfather when she had rung him up, and she wasn't sure if he was already out looking for her or not.

She could hear his shoes scraping the pavement behind her, the rhythm of his breath that almost came out in pants. Ever since she had started living with her grandfather, she had been graced with his presence only a door over. Constantly she heard his loud music that shook her household from its bass. Over the years she had gotten used to it all, and even though she'd never admit it, she had a slight liking for the music he divulged in.

But everything else that included the jerk was completely out of question. She was too intertwined with her thoughts to notice the ambulance pulling up outside of her house. When she heard the voices shouting to one another, she looked up with wide eyes. It took her a moment to realize that they were rushing into her house. She stood there with wide eyes, rooted to the spot where she had looked up. She couldn't move an inch, afraid that it would be her grandfather's life in return.

The sirens were loud and ringing through her ears like wedding bells. Her heart was racing faster than it ever had, and she could feel her throat closing up when the paramedics came out of her door with her grandpa on the stretcher. She barely took two steps towards them when the man with harsh brown eyes looked up from his partner who was pushing the old man into the back of the truck.

"Please stay back ma'am. There's nothing to see here." He said roughly before going around the back and closing the white and red doors behind the two men. She felt her eyes brim with tears and her eyeballs burn from the lack of moisture. She was about to launch herself forward, but two hands held her back.

"What's going on here? What happened?" She screeched into the air, her voice cracking from the emotion. "Is he going to die?" She barely choked out as the man continued to ignore her as he went into the driver's seat and drove off, leaving a distressed woman behind. Tears were running wildly down her cheeks as she turned around in the strangers hold and began to beat them weakly with her fists. She didn't bother to see who it was, only frustrated that they had kept her from reaching her only family. Her continuous actions began to weaken even more, and soon she just stopped altogether. She broke down, and began to sob loudly. Her forehead rested against the man's collarbone and her tiny hands gripped the front of his shirt.

She didn't know why she was taking comfort to this stranger—if he even was—but he was the only one there, and she felt more vulnerable then ever before. His arms carefully and slightly awkwardly placed themselves around her shaking form as he tried to help her. She just cried, and she wouldn't stop until she was out of tears.

**- -**

**A/U:** Short, yes I am very aware of it. Apologies though, I just like cliffhangers and felt the need to leave everyone hanging by a thread. I'll try to update soon, and things will get twisted in ways that only very creative minds can—like myself. Ha ha.

Arriverdici,

_Melody Unwinding_


	2. Awkward Emotions

**Unlikely Love  
**_**Awkward Emotions**_

Her mind could've been off, thinking of how her grandfather couldn't be in such a state, but it was focused on the man before her. His white hair rolling down his back—in a masculine way—his golden eyes showing his concern and worry for her—it just wasn't supposed to be like this. She could feel her face stinging from the tears, and her throat sore from the sobbing. She didn't want him to see her like this—face blotchy, heart shattering, form shaking. But it wasn't like she could turn back time.

"S-sorry." She whispered as she made an attempt to wipe the dried trails of tears from her face, and smooth out her hair. She could've taken a step back, but there was too much on her mind for her to focus on the proximity between them.

"Don't be—it's not your fault for anything." He said in a voice that she never thought he could possess. It was filled with tenderness and genuine concern—she had to believe that this was all a dream.

"Yes it is," She said sniffing. "I shouldn't have broken down the way I did. I should've controlled my emotions and stayed stron—"

"You know you should really listen to yourself. You sound like you just came from boot camp." He scoffed, unable to let his rough side show through. "Your grandfather was just taken away in an ambulance; I think that's a reason to ball your eyes out." She gave a half-hearted laugh, looking back up into his eyes—the surreal eyes that she hoped wouldn't be the last time they portrayed these feelings.

"And if you don't want to stand here looking like hell where everyone can see you," He said in a more Inuyasha-like fashion. "Then get in." He pointed to the crimson pick-up truck that stood only a few feet from each other. She took one step towards the truck when she remembered something.

"I thought that your license was suspended, after you harassed that cop?" She asked, looking back at Inuyasha with suspicion. He gave her a smirk and gently pushed her towards the cab before heading himself to the other side.

"That doesn't matter, now does it?" He said as she slid into the cab, feeling a little queasy at the thoughts of getting in a car with _him_. But she realized she had no other way of getting to the hospital without walking a few miles. She only hoped that they wouldn't get pulled over anytime soon.

**- -**

"Slow down Inuyasha!" Kagome said, gripping onto her seat. She understood that he wanted to get her to the hospital quickly, but it didn't help with the fact that she wasn't feeling very superior at the moment. Inuyasha looked over at her, about to snap at her for telling him what to do when he actually saw the state she was in. She was fairly pale, and she looked rather unhealthy with her weight. Dark circles had already formed under her eyes, and her lips were a light shade of blue. Truth be told, she looked as though she were about to die.

"Sorry, I jus—"

"I understand that you want to get there as soon as possible, but I don't want to die before I can actually see him." She said weakly. He nodded in understanding, not trying to upset her even more than she was. The only thing that they could hear during the drive was the roar of the engine and the soft hum of the truck as it picked up speed and lost it. An awkward silence had fallen over the two, and a tick was beginning to twitch in the back of his head. He kept his mouth shut, but the need to say something was becoming too great.

"Sorry." He blurted out, not even realizing what he had exactly said it for. Kagome looked over at him, looking at him a little confused.

"What?" She asked softly, her voice still scratchy.

"I uh—" He tried to think of something better to explain why a sudden apology was thrown out there, when the truth hit him like a ton of bricks. He knew why he had apologized, as an act of sorrow for her eldest family member. "For today—earlier—I'm sorry what I did; yeah." He expected Kagome to blow up at him, or maybe start to cry—but she did the one thing that he didn't expect. She looked out the windshield, waiting for the hospital to come in view, giving a soft chuckle.

"You aren't used to apologizing are you?" She asked, glancing at him for a moment. Dumbfounded by her question, he looked from the road to her, unable to find anything coherent. "I can tell you that I wasn't surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, his incompetent arrogant side beginning to resurface. She looked at her slender fingers that were fiddling with the hem of her shirt, before almost glancing at him shyly.

"It's just that I've never heard you apologize to anyone, ever. And I mean, actually _admitting_ to someone about your fault, that's not really an 'Inuyasha thing' to do." She said as she gave another chuckle, trying to make the pain she was feeling lighten a bit.

"He—" He began, but then he found reasoning in her words. "You're right—I'm too damn stubborn for my own good, but so are you." He made sure he pointed it out to her. It surely got her attention when she turned to look almost fully at him, shock evident on her face in a comic fashion.

"Excuse me? I am _not_ stubborn!" She exclaimed, refusing the title he was trying to place her under. "I am just trying to put you in your place, that's all." She crossed her arms and looked away from him.

"Or more like the world." He mumbled as he turned down the last road that would lead them to the hospital. She heard his soft mumbling and gave him a narrowed look before she leant her head against the window and waited until they came to their destination.

**- -**

As soon as the vehicle had stopped moving she sprung up from her seat and bolted out the cab in a frenzy. Inuyasha pulled his truck into the nearest parking space and then raced in after her, not quite trusting her to speak rationally to anyone working there. Kagome was about ready to race past the front desk, but a rather pudgy woman stopped her by calling to her loudly.

"Excuse me miss! You cannot go through there unless you have checked in with us!" She called as Kagome was about ready to hightail it to the ER. She turned to the woman and walked up, her face almost burning with anger.

"I need to see my grandfather," She ground out. "_now_." The woman was about to point a finger at the young lady, but Inuyasha came in faster and pulled Kagome back a little, so he could squeeze in.

"You'll have to excuse my fiancée; she's a little overprotective of her family members." He said, giving her a flashy smile. The woman looked from Kagome to Inuyasha, taking in their young faces.

"You two look a little young to be getting married." She said, giving her personal advice at the wrong time. Kagome opened her mouth to say something rather demeaning when the hand that held one of her own in a dead grip tightened, and she reconsidered.

"Thank you, but we love each other enough to go through with this." He said, feeling a little odd talking about Kagome in such a way. "But, the old man?"

"Name please." She said, falling back into her monotone line.

"Higurashi, Sejii." He said, knowing that actually talking to the old man would pay off one day. He could feel Kagome start to tremble again as he waited as she typed the letters rather slowly into the computer.

"Are you family?" She asked, looking up to eye the two teenagers. They both nodded in unison, nearly spelling out 'LIE'. But the woman must've lost all of her brain cells to staring at the computer screen extensively and paid no attention to it.

"I'm sorry, but he's still in the ER." She said, shaking her head. He looked over at Kagome to see her eyes watering. "There's a waiting area around the corner to the right. You may wait there, and when the doctors have done what they can, then they'll inform you straight away." She gave a half-hearted smile before clearing her screen for the next people in line.

Inuyasha pulled Kagome around the bend to the nearly empty waiting room before he loosened his grip on her hand. He could hear her weeping silently to herself, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her. He turned to her, and was almost knocked off his balance when she launched herself into his chest. He sighed, but remained as the 'shoulder to cry on'—the position he had already exposed himself to only moments earlier. He rubbed her back the way he remembered his mother used to do when he came home crying—hoping to help her along her way.

"W-what if h-he d-doesn't m-m-make it out of s-surger-ry?" She sobbed, her body shaking in his hold.

"He will, don't worry. He's a strong old fart; he wouldn't give out on you so easy." He reassured her gently.

"But w-what if t-th-ey let h-him d-d-die?" She let out a new series of sobs, wracking her frame worse than those before, from that little word. He held her tighter, trying to stop the mild tremors from racing through her body.

"They won't, it's what they're paid to do." He said, giving a deep chuckle. "Stupid girl, why do you think they brought him to a hospital then?" She didn't respond, but let her tears continue to trickle down her face as she stood in his embrace. Her sobs had vanished, and she remained a broken soul for the time being.

**- -**

They had taken seats on the rather comfy chairs that rested against the far wall, letting themselves have much needed space that there was. Kagome was shaking still, and she looked as vulnerable to suffer a heart attack. He merely suggested that she lie down and take a short nap, and before he knew it, her head was resting on his lap and she was out like a light bulb.

He was about to protest, but she looked very tired and he couldn't deny her it. She just looked so frail and ill, it would be like turning away a starving child. Hours flew by, and still no one came to inform them of anything. He just sat there, staring at countless objects that lay around the room. Numerous times they had come to rest on the ever-so-slow clock on the wall adjacent to his position, and only a few to the sleeping woman sprawled across his lap. He had lost his mother and father at a young age, and he knew how she felt—or maybe a little. He couldn't tell her that he had been in her position once, because he barely knew either of his parents before he was placed in the hands of his evil stepbrother—Sesshoumaru.

But, he wasn't about to lay his past sorrows on this girl. She was already going through a tragic time, and the only thing he could do was be her support when her legs failed her. Even after all the disputes between the two, he still had to help her through such time. He had to leave his pride behind for this moment, for he wa—

"Excuse me?" A man dressed in a white lab coat asked as he held a clipboard before him. "Mr.—"

"Mr. Seoki and this is my fiancée." He said shaking the doctor's hand politely. "Do you have anything on the old man?" He asked, a little antsy on the outcome. He could hear Kagome stirring on his lap, but didn't want to fully wake her until she was ready.

"Ah yes, I'm sorry to say this, but he didn't make it." He said, showing some sympathy for them. "He had a heart failure—we did all we could, but he didn't make it." Inuyasha closed his eyes, shaking his head lightly.

"H-he can't be dead." Kagome whispered, more to herself than anyone. "It just can't be." Inuyasha's eyes flew open and he looked down at the young woman.

"I'm sorry, but he is dead. His body is being sent down to the morgue as we speak." The doctor said, trying to emphasize his point.

"Inuyasha," Kagome turned to Inuyasha with watery eyes. "He's all I have left—he can't be _dead_."

**- -**

**A/U:** I tried to make it longer, so I did. But I promise you there will be longer ones. I guarantee you. I usually like to leave chapters at a dramatic point before anything. But holidays are here, and I will use them to my full extent to make everyone happy. And I'm not ending any of my current stories. I love them all, they're just taking longer to progress than I thought. New ideas, new formats, new writing—everything's evolving.

Arriverdici,

_Melody Unwinding_


	3. Truth Be Told

**Unlikely Love  
**_**Truth Be Told**_

He could see the crystallized tears begin to gather in her eyes, ready to fall for the second time that night. Even though this girl sent him off the high end, he couldn't help but feel a little yearning to help her in her time of need. He never told anyone, but crying women were his weakness.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha said, swallowing the lump in his throat. He didn't want to deal with Kagome crying on him. The doctor nodded, glancing down at his clip board once more. Inuyasha sighed as he leaned back, not believing it all.

"God, poor Sejii…" He groaned, putting a hand over his eyes. The doctor stiffened and glanced down at the papers then to Inuyasha.

"What did you say Mr. Seoki?" The doctor asked, his eyes a little wider than before. Inuyasha peered through his fingers, eyeing the man.

"Sejii…Higurashi…" Inuyasha repeated slowly, adding in the old man's surname. The doctor rustled through the papers quickly, almost hastily finding the proper page.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry for this mix-up!" He exclaimed loudly, placing a hand to his forehead in surprise. "I wasn't talking about that man at all! I was referring to Bruok Haitaki! I'm not his doctor at all!" The girl who was about to begin the waterworks straightened up, her eyes wide.

"Then where the hell is the old man?" Inuyasha growled slowly as he lowered his hand, angry at the irritating doctor who didn't know how to ask for names.

"I'm sorry, but there are a lot of people here, I can't tell you anythi—"

Inuyasha was already standing up, holding the doctor by the scruff of the neck, glowering down at him. He was at least a few good inches taller than the older man, but none the less the height still frightened anyone.

"Old man—Sejii Higurashi—came in maybe an hour or so ago, had a stroke." He said slowly, hoping to get the information through the man's brain. "Now tell me, where is he?" The doctor gulped and began to stammer, trying to find the right words that wouldn't anger the boy any further.

"He—the—but—" He began, not finding anything that was coming to him that would form a proper sentence. Inuyasha tightened his grip on the shirt, getting the doctor to widen his eyes. "Room C17."

"Thank you." Inuyasha said putting back down the man and giving him an eerie smile. "You coming dear?" Kagome looked up at him and followed his lead, giving the doctor an apologetic glance. As soon as they were out of earshot of the man, Kagome began her usual ramble.

"Not only have you assaulted a doctor, you could be sued! Who are you going to attack next? The Mayor? The fire chief?" She said, raising her voice slightly. "You're going to be in jail for the rest of your life, or just dead poor. You know that don't you?"

Inuyasha just ignored her.

"I mean god! You'll probably get house arrest and won't be able to come in contact with any human for the sake of them!" Kagome continued as they turned a corner, the white walls almost blinding the couple as they walked along the halls.

Inuyasha still continued to ignore her, though her constant ramble was really getting to him.

"You're worse than Kouga! I mean I know he's not that bad of a guy, but he's spending 25 years in jail for sexually harassing the waitress in the restaurant off of 23rd—even though he found out that she liked him _after _he was sentenced of course. And they have a long distance relationship—"

He stopped her before she could go any further, her voice echoing in his head like a bad itch. He pushed her against the wall and pointed a finger in her face, irritation spelt across his face.

"You are pushing my nerves now." He growled, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "I felt sorry for you, so I brought you here—being a Good Samaritan, but now you're just pissing me off. You don't care about me, I don't care about you—hell I don't even care about the old man!"

Kagome just stared at him, her own eyes watering as he continued.

"I don't know why you feel the need to have to continue to lecture me about how I live my life and what I do with it. You live your life as the 'perfect' little school girl, and I live my life like it's a rollercoaster ride! I do crazy stuff, that would most likely get me sued, but _I don't care_!" At this point his face was close to red, and Kagome was just staring at him with watery eyes. "I'm not your friend, acquaintance, or anything for that matter, except for neighbor. I'd like to keep it that way."

Kagome lower lip quivered and Inuyasha backed off, looking away.

"All right." Kagome whispered as she looked down at her feet. But by the time she had looked up, all she saw was his retreating back. She didn't long for his presence, but then again the hospital did seem a little less depressing with him by her side. She straightened up as much as she could, turning towards the door without a second thought about anything else but her grandfather. She continued at a slow but steady pace towards C17, which was only a few doors from where Inuyasha had left her flat-out.

The door was open, and she could hear the faint beeping of the monitor. She breathed in slowly, making her way towards the doorway. As she turned inside the room, her eyes fell on the body of her grandfather. His chest was barely rising, but the steady beat of the heart monitor made her at ease. She approached slowly; the IV tubes sticking out from his frail body making her feel sick in her stomach. His eyes were closed, and his face held the pasty complexion of a man on his death bed.

"Jii-chan…" She whispered under her breath as she stared at her grandpa. She rushed over to his side and grabbed his hand, but lightly as to not hurt him. Her eyes began to examine his feeble body, and she felt her knees begin to shake.

"I'm so sorry Jii-chan; I should've been there for you." She whispered as a stray tear leaked down her cheek. "I should've called to tell you I had detention. I should've done something; I just want everything to be all right again." More tears began to follow the first, all tracing the same line down her cheeks.

"Now that mama and dad are gone, you're all I've got left. You can't leave me just yet. I need you, I don't think I can bear the hurt if you go and leave me like they did." She sniffed back the emotions that were willing to drive her to depression. "Jii-chan, you know that I love you. But I need you to stay alive for me; I need you to stay with me. I need you to walk me down the aisle when I get married; I need you to disapprove of my boyfriends. I need you to tell me those dumb stories about the shrine you used to own, all those fairy tales about youkai back in Sengoku Jidai. Please…don't leave me…"

She bent down so she was on her knees and rested her head on the hospital bed. Her eyes closed and she tried to think that everything was all right and he was going to be fine.

Everything is going to be fine.

- -

"Stupid woman, think she can be my _mother_." Inuyasha grumbled as he stood outside the hospital doors, venting from their earlier brawl. "I ought to teach that girl where her place is in society…but I don't think I could for the world. Been trying to for years."

"You know, it's not sane to talk to yourself." An old, weary voice chuckled from beside him. He looked over and saw an old woman, nearly hunched over with a cane.

"Didn't your mother tell you not to talk to strangers?" He snapped, before adding in a taunting tone. "But you've probably forgotten with how old you are. She probably died a century ago." The woman was quick to react and smacked him in the shin with her cane, looking at him with squinted eyes.

"Learn how to talk to your elder's boy." She ground out, looking about to beat him with the column of wood.

"Keh! I can do whatever I want you old hag." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest. That earned him another whack on his shin, only this time harder. He grabbed his wounded leg and held it, balancing on one foot. "That hurt!"

"I told you, respect your elder's." She stated plainly. "And respect women for that matter."

"What?"

"I saw you speaking with a young woman in the hallway earlier, and you weren't very respective to her in any way. You reduced her to tears." She said, looking up at him with an all-knowing smile.

"You were spying on me! What; are your soap opera's not enough?" He growled out at her, wanting to get away from all the sick old people. He could _clearly_ tell what was wrong with her.

"You should apologize; I don't think you're making her feel any better than she already is."

"And why should I listen to an old hag like you?" He asked, scoffing at her words.

"Because," she whacked him once again with her deadly cane. "I'll hit you." She let out a rather witch-like cackle, alarming the pained boy.

"You don't know me, or her, so why don't you go mind your own business. There are plenty of people in this parking lot to bug, go find someone else." He turned away from the old woman, but yet she still spoke to him.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes. Now go away," he said stubbornly.

"If you won't listen to me, then you will listen to your guilt. Making a woman cry, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"I'm perfectly happy that I made her cry, I hope she goes home and mourns about it!" He snapped.

"You don't mean it, we all know. If you can live with that guilt, then get into your car and go home. If you can't, as I think, then you will go back in and apologize."

He supposed that those were her parting words, for he couldn't hear her ragged breathing anymore. He sighed, knowing very well that the old witch was right. He looked at the parking lot where his red pick up sat, and then thought of the tearing eyes of the young woman.

_Fuck this, having a conscious sucks!_

_- -_

**A/U:** I'm sorry for not updating, I got a few reviews complaining about me not updating. I will update when I have time. Exams are nearing and I'm not doing too hot in some of my classes. I need to pick up my pace and try and focus on work. And apart from this site, I _do_ have a life. So I will try to update as frequently as I can, but my life doesn't revolve around writing my fanfics. Sorry.

On a lighter note, I know I should've made this longer, but I've got a wondrous idea for the next chapter, but it will only work if I put it the next chapter. And truth be told, I don't think that these chapters are going to go past 6 pages! I'm sorry, it's just the way it turned out to be!

Arriverdici,

_Melody Unwinding_


	4. Beginning of the End

**Unlikely Love  
**_**Beginning of the End**_

"Excuse me? What are you doing in here?"

Kagome's head shot up from beside her grandfather, and looked behind her, where a nurse was standing with a clipboard in her hand. She let go of her grandfather's hand and stood up, fully turning to see her.

"I—uh, came to see my grandpa." She said, wiping away the wet trails that still stained her face.

"He is still in critical condition, you cannot see him until it is safe. Please," she said curtly, motioning for the girl out of the room.

"No you see, I can't—"

"Now. Or I'll have to call security." She said, almost narrowing her eyes at Kagome.

"All right." She turned around and kissed her grandpa's knuckles, whispering gently "I love you" before leaving, the nurse following closely. The older woman guided Kagome into the main foyer, keeping a stern look on her face. She left the youth by the rest of the crowd, while she approached the desk, intent on finding out how the woman had gotten into the room.

Kagome on the other hand, was dying inside. She had only come to see how he was fairing, and then they go and take her away from him. She raised her hands to her face, trying to wipe away the tears as they began to violently fall down her face. She turned around; ready to run away from them all, when she collided into a warm chest. But she didn't need visuals to know who it was. For she had already done the same thing only moments before. His arms wrapped around her withering frame, just like before.

"Let's get you home." He whispered to her, guilt already washing over him. She allowed herself to be taken from the building, still clinging to him for support. And as they made their way across the parking lot, to his pick up, an old pair of eyes followed, a wrinkled smile dancing across her lips.

"I knew it."

- -

She let herself be navigated through her house and into her bedroom. Her body felt hollow, her heart beats echoing against the walls of the shell she'd taken to. He sat her down on her bed, holding her arms firmly so that she wouldn't fall from weakness. His hands left her skin tingling, but that was hardly anything she paid much attention to. Her face fell to a façade, and she stared blankly ahead, lost. And he couldn't help but worry about her.

"Kagome?" He tried, hoping to get her functioning. She just stared blankly. "Kago—"

"He's all that I have left." She said quietly, her voice hollow and more of an echo, if anything. "He's the only one that's left to care for me."

"You've got other people to care for you, right?" He said, down on his knees to try and catch a glimpse of the inner turmoil flashing through her eyes.

"No, only grandpa."

"What about your friends? Eri, Yuka?"

"They don't really care—they're just there for the gossip." She said, before adding bitterly. "I'm more of a necessity than anything."

"That's not true, they—" he paused to think. "They probably care for your well being."

"I'm a pawn to them. Someone they can dress up. It's called make believe."

"What about…" He couldn't think of anyone else. "What about Kouga?"

"What about him?"

"Didn't you two—I thought—maybe he—"

"The only thing I was to him was eye candy, another trophy to dangle from his arm." He watched as a single tear slid down her face. "He's the only one, and without him, I have nothing."

"You've got…you've got me?" He said after some hesitation. If he had been expecting a reaction from her, he sure got one.

"What?" She said as she raised her eyes to look into his.

"I said," he tried. "You've got me." She still looked confused. "I mean…I care if you—I care for your well being."

"No—"

"Kagome," he said firmly, trying to erase all the doubt from her mind. "I really do care. I may not show it, but I do."

She smiled warmly at him, or as best she could in her current state. Inside, some of the pain lifted, but semi-confusion flashed through her mind's eye. Though she was puzzled, she didn't question it. She opened her mouth to thank him, her eyes watering slightly, but just as it happened, someone appeared at the doorway.

"Miss Higurashi?" The woman asked, holding a professional air. Kagome nodded slowly.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked, standing up from his position.

"Oh, are you miss—" She began fumbling for words. "Are you Miss Higurashi's…_boyfriend_?"

Both of the two blushed at the comment.

"I wasn't aware that you'd be…well, you _should_ be if you were a good boyfriend…there's no reason why you _shouldn't_ be here…" She began to ramble on, her run on just making the two teens blush even deeper.

"_Actually_," Inuyasha said, interrupting her. "I'm her neighbor." He beckoned the direction of his house with his head.

"Oh, well then I'm going to have to ask for a word in private with Miss Higurashi, Mr…?"

"Inuyasha; just Inuyasha." He said curtly, giving her a deathly glare.

"Oh…" She said, fumbling with her briefcase. "Well, _sir_, I'm going to have to have a private conversation with Miss Hig—"

"I heard you, I'm not deaf." He snapped.

"Oh, well, if you please…"

He looked over at Kagome, as if asking her permission to leave her with the nervous woman. But when he received no request to stay, he slowly left the room, giving her one last backwards glance.

"Now, Miss Higurashi." She said, getting back to her confident self. "We must discuss matters of your living situation."

"What's wrong with my living situation?" She asked suddenly, her throat dry from crying.

"Under the law, it states that, since you aren't of age yet, you must live with a guardian until that time. And since your grandfather is…not able to care for you, you must stay with a residence until the time has come whether your grandfather can care for you or not."

"I…I have to move?" She asked quietly.

"It's not permanent, just until we can find you a guardian—preferably a family member."

"Where am I going?"

"We are not sure of yet, but for your education purposes, we have thought of sticking you with those in your community." She shifted through a few sheets of paper within the brown briefcase. "We already have several potentials, and will be getting back to you once we take them up on their offer."

"How long will that be?" She asked quietly.

"No more than a few hours. I suggest you pack up your personals that you will need, and we will arrive within that expected time span." She gave her a curt nod before leaving the girl alone in the room to absorb her words.

And frankly, Kagome felt like she was just told that she had to go to summer school.

**- -**

**A/U:** Here's chapter…4 I believe. I know, I know—it's short. But whose fault is that? I don't think it's mine, because, I am going to lead you all to believe that I've developed a syndrome of creating new fics, and losing interest in them after the first few chapter. Or I just see how stupid I was when I was creating them!

Heh. Heh.

As for my updating, I am slowly and surely getting along. A lot of distractions, let me tell you. As in, looking forward to my eyebrow piercing! Oh yeah, that's right! So yeah, I've created another story I will be posting shortly. Thank you for the limited reviews, and…adieu!

_Melody Unwinding:;,_


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